Carrier's lien

Carrier’s lien, in law, the right to hold the consignee’s cargo until payment is made for transporting it. In common law, a common carrier is entitled to retain possession of the goods until freight is paid but not to sell the goods or use them; the parties, however, may agree that the carrier shall have an active lien entitling him to sell the goods. Carriers in civil-law jurisdictions ordinarily have a privilege on the goods carried by them for the payment of the freight and of incidental expenses, including the right to sell the goods. Aside from this privilege, the carrier in civil-law jurisdictions may be entitled, under the general law of obligations, to refuse delivery of the goods until the freight is paid.